Closing machine for hinge cover folding boxes



March 7, 1967 F. M. LEFIEF 3,307,329

CLOSI NG MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER'FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 14Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Frank M. Lef/ef A TTOE/VE) March 7, 1967 v F.M, LEFIEF 3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 14Sheets-Sheet 2 v k9 I Q INVENTOR Hunk M. Lef/ef BY WW A TTOE/VEY F. M.LEFlEF March 7, 1967 CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES l4Sheets$heet 25 Filed Dec. 8; 1964 INVENTOR.

Frank M. Lef/ef 4M Arm/mgr March 7, 1967 F. M. LEFIEF 3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 14Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVENTOR FL? Frank M. 167762 March 7, 1967 F. M. LEFIEF3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 196.4 14Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

Frank M. Zef/ef A TTORNE) -March 7, 1967 v F. M. LEFIEF 3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 1.4Sheets-Sheet e INVENTOR. Frank M. Lef/er" BY M 648 44AM v rray/ y March7, 1967 F. M. LEF lEF 3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 14Sheets-Sheet 7 v INVENTOR. Frank M. Lef/ef A V Y A TTORNEY March 7, 1967F. M. LEFIEF 3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 14SheetsSheet a INVENTOR. Frank M L ef/e 7 March 7, 1967 F. M. L FIE3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 14Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR. Frank M. Leffef,

a v I ATTORNEY March 7,1967 v v F. M. LEFIEF 7 3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 V 14Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR Fig. l5 Frank M. Zef/ef BY fa-1AM W ATTORNEYMarch 9 7 F. M. LEFIEF 3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 v 14Sheets-Sheet 11 IN VENTOR. Frank M. Lef/ef ATTORNEY March 7, 1967 F. M.LEFIEF 3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 196414Sheets-Sheet 12 INVENTOR. Frank M. Lef/ef March 7, 1967 F. M. LEFIEF I3,307,329

CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES Filed Dec. 8, 1964 14Sheets-Sheet 13 INVENTOR Frank M. Lef/ef 4.24 ATTO/M/FV F. M. LEFIEFMarch 7, 1967 CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDING BOXES l4Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed D60. 8, 1964 INVENTOR Frank M. Lef/ef Arm/awayUnited States Patent 3,307,329 CLOSING MACHINE FOR HINGE COVER FOLDINGBOXES Frank' M. Lefief, Palo Alto, Calif., assignor, by mesneassignments, to Kliklok Corporation, New York, N.Y.,

a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 416,801 11Claims. (Cl. 53-376) This invention relates to closing machines forhinge cover folding boxes and provides, more particularly, a machinecapable of closing, forming and sealing a hinge cover of the typeprovided with a cover front flap, cover side flaps and tabs forinterconnecting the front and the side flaps at the corners.

Depending on the contents packaged in the box, and also depending on thefilling or loading equipment employed, folding boxes arrive at theclosing machine in different positions. Some boxes travel with one endwall leading and with the other end wall trailing. In this case thecover hinge line points in the direction of travel of the box.

Other boxes travel with the back wall and the cover leading. In thatcase the cover hinge line is transverse to the direction of travel andthe closing of the cover involves little difficulty.

Stillother boxes arrive at the closing machine with the cover trailingand the cover hinge line transverse to the direction of travel. In sucha case the closing of the cover is less simple. Additional problems areprovided by contents of a semi-liquid nature which makes turning of theopen box inadvisable, even though turning by 90 degrees would lessen themechanical problems of closing of the cover.

Still other problems are encountered where the nature and the weight ofthe box contents causes the box body to be deformed, for example one orseveral box body walls to be bulged out, as in such a case the edge ofthe box body wall moves out of line with the fold line of the respectivecover flap which is to be folded over it. This makes it difficult tofold the cover flap.

The present invention provides a machine capable of closing hinge coverfolding boxes arriving with the cover hinge trailing and transverse tothe direction of travel, even boxes which may arrive with one or severalbox body walls badly bulged out and which, due to the nature of the boxcontents, cannot be suddenly accelerated, decelerated or turned.

In addition, machines incorporating the features of the presentinvention are capable of closing and sealing the box cover within anextremely short distance of travel of the order of three to four feet inthe case of boxes requiring a seal along the cover side flaps only.

During all operations all boxes within the machine are readilyaccessible from above and are removable in case of any malfunction orfailure or box defect.

The various objects, features and advantages of this invention willappear more fully from the detailed description which followsaccompanied by drawings showing, for the purpose of illustration, apreferred embodiment of the invention. The invention also resides incertain new and original features of construction and combination ofelements hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the characteristic features of this invention which arebelieved to be novel will be particularly pointed out in the claimsappended hereto, the invention itself and the manner in which it may becarried out may be better understood by referring to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming apart of it in which:

FIGS. 1 to 7 are perspective views showing the machine 3,307,329Patented Mar. 7, 1967 in successive phases of operation, FIGS. 1 to 3and 5 to 7 being views toward the receiving end, and FIG. 4 being a viewtoward the discharge end of the machine;

FIGS. 8 to 13 are diagrammatic figures illustrating successive steps inthe action of the principal box handling elements and their operatingmechanism;

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the motion of certain box handlingelements;

FIGS. 15 to 18 are perspective views of portions of the machine drivemechanism; and

FIG. 19 is a perspective and diagrammatic view of a portion of theadhesive applying mechanism.

In the following description and in the claims various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience. The names, however, areintended to be generic in their application. Corresponding referencecharacters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures of thedrawlngs.

The drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specificationdisclose certain specific details of construction for the purpose ofexplanation of broader aspects of the invention, but it should beunderstood that structural details may be modified in various respectswithout departure from the principles of the invention and that theinvention may be incorporated in other structural forms than shown.

In view of the relative complexity of the machine incorporating theinvention an understanding of the machine will be facilitated by aninitial description of its operation, followed by an explanation of theoperation of certain of its principal box handling elements by way ofdiagrams, to be concluded by a description of its operating mechanism.

The illustrated box B is of one-half gallon capacity and is filled withice cream in a semi-liquid state.

The box proper comprises a front wall 11, a rear wall 12, and side walls13 and 14. A cover panel 15 is articulated to the rear wall 12 along acover hinge line 16 and the cover panel 15 has cover side flaps 17 and18 articulated to its sides along fold lines 19 and 20, and a coverfront flap 21 articulated to its front boundary along a front flap foldline 22. Corner tabs 23 and 24 articulated to the lateral boundaries ofthe front flap 21 along tab fold lines 25 and 26 are to be adhered tothe cover side flaps, and a glue tab 27 serves to seal the cover frontflap 21 to the box body front wall 11.

The cover side flaps may be provided with severable substantiallytriangular rear corner tab portions 28 and 29 defined by lines ofweakness 30 and 31 (see also FIG. 4). These tab portions are adhered tothe side walls 13 and 14 during the sealing procedure and seal the covershut. For the purpose of opening, these tab portions may' be severedfrom the remainder of the cover side flaps by tearing along the lines ofweakness 30 and 31, as is conventional practice.

The box is moved into the position B by frictional engagement with aconveyor which, in the illustrated form of the machine, comprises a pairof link chains 32 best visible in FIG. 2.

In the position shown in FIG. 1 the box is arrested by a flag stop 33which is periodically projected into the path of the boxes and retractedat the appropriate moment in order to release the box for advance intothe grip of box handling elements about to be described.

The boxes move along a track 34 defined laterally by rails 35 and 36 andat the bottom initially by the chains 32, and beyond the chains by asupporting blade 37 disposed vertically, and beyond the blade 37 byother conveyor chains later to be described.

The lateral rails limit the bulging out of the side walls 13 and 14, butthe front wall 11 may bulge out considis seen in FIG. 1.

' After release by the flag stop the box moves into engagement with afront bar 38 which, in the illustrated form, comprises a bowed centralportion 39 and a pivot shaft portion 40, the latter being transverse tothe box track 34.

At the illustrated moment the box is still being propelled by theconveyor. The front bar flattens out the box front wall 11, as is seenin FIG. 2 showing the box B in the advanced position marked by the index2.

In FIG. 2 a pusher element or transport bar 41 is seen in front of thebox. This pusher element comprises a shaft portion 42 extendingdownwardly and performs a complex substantially vertical orbital motionin the course of which, at the illustrated moment, the bar is about tomove under the box B to engage its rear wall and advance the box fartheralong the track.

Returning for a moment to FIG. 1, cover folding means are visible infront of the box. These cover folding means may have the shape of arms,but are preferably fitted with blades for reasons which will presentlybecome apparent. While one such cover folding arm and/or blade issufficient to perform the intended folding operation, it is preferred toprovide a pair of arms for the sake of symmetry. The blades 43 representthe ends of arms 44 which are bent at 45 and are pivotally mounted intra-ckside bearings inside the housings 46, the arrangement being suchthat the bearing axis about which each arm oscillates is at an angle tothe center line of the track 34, as is clearly apparent from FIG. 1.

The arms are oscillated through approximately 180 degrees or somewhatless. FIG. 1 shows the extreme forward position of the blades 43 andFIG. 2 shows the extreme rearward position of the blades which, byreason of the bend 45 and of the angular disposition of the oscillationaxes, move into and out of the space above the track.

Details of the actuating mechanism will be described later. At thispoint it will suffice to state that a gear belt, sometimes referred toas timing belt is employed which is trained around a toothed pulleyresembling a gear in side each housing 46.

In the position shown in FIG. 2 the blades 43 are about to move forwardto engage the cover panel 15 to fold it forward over the box body, asshown in FIG. 3 and marked by the index 3 (B At this moment another boxB is about to arrive at the flag stop 33. It will further be noted thatat this moment the pusher bar 41 has disappeared below the box and isabout to engage the box from the rear.

FIG. 4 shows the box from the rear. The box has been moved beyond theend of the conveyor chain 32 by the pusher bar 41 which engaged it andadvanced it a short distance beyond the position shown in FIG. 3.

At this moment a transverse folding element 47 has moved into engagementwith the cover front flap 21 in order to fold it down into contact withthe box front wall 11. The folding element 47 has the shape of a flatbar or blade and is mounted on the end of a downwardly extendingoperating shaft 48 comprising a gooseneck portion 49 in order to clearthe track rail 35.

The motion imparted to the folding element 47 is complex and isessentially a vertical orbital motion so related to the orbital motionof the pusher or transport bar 41 that during transport of the box thehorizontal distance between the bars 41 and 47 remains the same andequal to the length of the box, i.e., the distance between the frontwall 11 and the rear wall 12. This will later be explained by referenceto diagrams. The position of the bars in FIG. 4 corresponds about to thepositions shown in diagrammatic FIG. 10.

The blades 43 are about to move back and behind the next box at theinstant illustrated in FIG. 4.

In the position B shown in FIG. 5 the blades have retracted and the boxhas advanced under to-p rails or bars 50 which hold the cover panel 15down. The cover side flaps 17, 18 extend horizontally over the lateraltrack rails 35, 36, as the box moves towards adhesive applicators 51 and52 which apply adhesive to the underside of the cover side flaps.

Stationary plows or fingers 53 on the track rails 35, 36 engage thecorner tabs 23, 24 and fold them against the box side walls 13 and 14,respectively. The tabs 23, 24 are held in infolded position by Verticalrails 54, 55 between which the box enters (FIGS. 4 and 5 At the instantshown in FIG. 5 the transverse folding element 47 is about to moveupward out of engagement with the front flap 21 and is shown in fullydisengaged position in FIG. 6.

In the position shown in FIG. 5 the front bar 38 has moved out of theway of the box into a position below the track, permitting the box B tomove over it. Immediately after passage of the box the bar 38 is raisedto meet the next box and is seen in raised position in FIG. 6.

In FIG. 6 the second box in line has not quite arrived in the positionof the box B in FIG. 2 and a slight bow in the box front panel 11 isstill noticeable. The first box in FIG. 6 has moved against tallvertical lugs 56 of a conveyor 58 whose shorter rear lugs 57 are raisedbehind the box to transport the box farther, and past the adhesiveapplicators 51 and 52.

The rising of the rear lugs 57 is well visible in FIG. 7 which alsoshows a portion of the disappearing pusher or transport bar 41. Theconveyor 58 is trained around rear pulleys 58' causing the conveyor lugs56, 57 to move into the path of the boxes.

Referring further to FIG. 7 the first box from the left approaches theadhesive applicators which, in the illustrated form of the machine, arepneumatically operated nozzle type applicators applying a measuredquantity of adhesive to the underside of the cover side flaps passingthereover, first at the leading portion of the flaps, where the fiap isto be adhered to the respective corner tab, and next to the trailingportion of the flap which is the triangular tear-ofi portion. Manifestlyother forms of applicators, for example star-wheel applicators, may beemployed in which tips of radial spokes of star wheels dip into a poolof adhesive and then apply spots of adhesive to a flap. Such applicatorsare conventional and well known.

The second box from the left in FIG. 7 has had adhesive applied to itscover side flaps which are about to be folded down by slanted plows 59(visible in FIG. 6), whereafter the box moves into a compression unitcomprising rows of horizontal rollers 60 and vertical rollers 61pressing the cover panel 15 down and pressing the cover side flapsagainst the box body side walls.

The rollers 60 and 61 of the compression units are mounted on squarebars 65. These bars may be swung out of the way of the box track bydepressing unlocking bars 66 extending between knuckle-type supports 67.Boxes within the compression unit may then be lifted oif the box trackwithout difficulty. Lifting of the unlocking bars 66 restores the squarebars and rollers 60, 61 to their original position in which they areshown in FIG. 7.

Boxes leaving the compression unit move into a chain turner 62 whichturns each box 90 degrees about its vertical axis, whereafter the boxmoves past a further adhesive applicator 63 and a further compressionunit 64 for The operating mechanism of the box handling elements 41 and47 comprises cranks, cams and gears for producing the respective orbitalmotions and is most conveniently explained by reference to thediagrammatic FIG- URES 8 to 14. i

The illustrated gear train comprises an upper gear 68, a central gear69, a lower gear 70, an intermediate gear 71, a drive gear 72, and aforward gear 73. The illustrated arrangement causes gears 68, 69 and 72to rotate in a clockwise direction, and gears 70, 71 and 73 to turncounterclockwisely.

The gear 68 is fixed on a shaft 168 to which a crank 74 is fastenedcarrying a roller 75. The roller bears against the cam surface 76 of acam 77 pivotally mounted on the pin 78 of a further crank 79. The crank79 is keyed to a shaft 169 to which the central gear 69 is secured.

The forward gear 73 is fixed on a shaft 173 to which a further crank 80is secured. A cam 81 having a cam face 82 is pivotally mounted on a pin83 of the crank 80. Its cam face engages a fixed roller 84.

It should be understood that in the machine spring means are providedfor maintaining the respective cam faces 76 and 82 in engagement withtheir associated rollers 75 and 84. These means are not'shown in thediagrams in order to keep the diagrams simple.

The shaft 42 of the pusher bar is secured to the cam 77 at 85 and theshaft 48 of the transverse folding element is secured to the cam 81 at86.

The relative positions of the several elements as shown in FIG.8correspond approximately to the position of the box B in FIG. 3. Thefront bar 38 is up and has flattened the front wall 11 of the box. Thepusher bar 41 is below the box and is on its way to move behind the rearwall 12.

In the position shown in FIG. 9, which'is slightly earlierthe rear wall-12. The front bar 38 swings down about its axis 40 and the transversefolding element 47 approaches the cover front flap 21 of the box.

In the position shown in FIG. 10 the pusher or transport bar advancesthe box, as is readily seen by comparing the position of the roller 75with respect to the cam face 76. The cam 77 moves to the right and sodoes the box. The transverse folding element 47 engages the front flapand has almost folded it flat against the box front wall 11. The frontbar 38 has movedout of the path of the box. FIG. 10 approximatelyrepresents the position of the box B 'in FIG. 4.

FIG. 11 shows the box farther advanced and above the front bar 40. Thisposition represents approximately the condition of the box B shown inFIG. 5. It will be observed that the bars 41 and 47 move to the rightwhile maintaining the same distance between them, the distance beingequal to the length of the box.

In the position shown in FIG. 12 the transverse folding element 47 movesupwardly to clear the box while the transport bar 41 moves down stillpushing the box.

In FIG. 13 the transverse folding element 47 has moved upward far enoughto clear the box, while the pusher bar 41 has moved downwardly out ofengagement with the box which at this point is being grasped by theconveyor lugs 57 (FIG.7). FIG. 13 therefore shows approximately thecondition of the box B in FIG. 7.

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic representation of the path of the front bar 38represented by the positions F, the path of the pusher bar 41represented by the positions P, and the path of the transverse foldingelement 47 represented by the positions T. The indices 8 through 13indicate the respective positions in which the elements appear in FIGS.8 through 13.

It is seen that the path of the pusher element P is substantially anorbital clockwise motion, and that the path of the transverse foldingelement is substantially an orbital counterclockwise path. The front barF oscillates back and forth on an arc.

The length of the box, which is the distance from the box front wall 11to the box rear wall 12, is indicated as L. This dimension appears asthe horizontal distance between pairs of elements in their respectivepositions as follows: P F P -T P y-T1 and P T This i1- lustrates how theaction of the several elements first results in debowing of the frontpanel, as the box, is confined between P and F and how the box is thenadvanced while being confined between the elements P and T until theposition indicated by index 12 is reached.

In FIG. 14 one position is shown without an identifying index becausethe corresponding diagrammatic figure was omit-ted in order to reducethe total number of drawings.

With a knowledge of the operation of the various box handling elementsdescribed in the foregoing it will now be easy to follow theconstruction and arrangements of other parts of the operating mechanism.

v FIG. 15 shows the assembly of the upper central and lower gears 68, 69and 70, respectively. For the sake of convenience the gear shafts aregiven numbers differing from the gear number by one hundred. Theintermediate gear 71 is not visible, but its location is indicated byits shaft 171. The shaft 172 of the drive gear extends into aworm-and-gear unit 87.

Turning to FIG. 18, it is seen that the unit 87 is driven by a motor 88having a drive pulley 89 on its drive shaft from which a belt 90 extendsover a driven pulley 91 on the input shaft 92 (FIG. 15) of the unit -87.There is further a chain drive 93, 94, 95 (FIG. 21) from the shaft 92.toa main shaft 96 which extends the length of the machine and operates thevarious conveyor chains in timed relationship including that of thechain turner 62.

FIG. 18 further shows the forward gear 73 and the crank 80 driventhereby which was previously shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8. The crankpin 83 drives the cam 81 whose face 82 engages the fixed roller 84. Apull rod 97 extends from the cam 81 to the right to a helical spring(beyond the illustration) which maintains the cam 81 in contact with theroller 84. The gear 73 further drives a cam 98 comprising two recedingportions for operating the adhesive applicator 51, 52 by means of othermechanism described further below.

Returning to FIG. 15, a cam 98 on the shaft 170 engages a follower 99 onan arm 100, to the free end 101 of which a gear belt 102 is attached.This gear belt extends upwardly about a pinion in the housing 46 andthence downwardly to a helical spring which maintains the follower 99 incontact with the cam 98. This assembly is also shown in end view in FIG.15.

A further cam 104 on the shaft 170 engages a follower 105 on anoscillating arm 106 which is fixed on a shaft 107. This shaft extendsthrough the machine housing to the other-side (FIG. 17), where a longarm 108 on the shaft operates the pivot shaft 40 of. the front bar 38(FIGS. 2, 3 and 6) by means of a push rod 109 and a 1 lever 110 on thepivot shaft 40. A helical return spring 111 tends to pull the arm 108into the illustrated position and also maintains the follower 105 (FIG.16) in contact with the cam 104.

Returning to FIG. 17, a second gear belt 112 attached to an arm 113extends upwardly about the pulley (not visible) of the other blade arm44, the blade assembly being the one on the right in FIG. 1. The otherend of the gear belt 112 is attached to a return spring 114. The

shaft 115 on which the arm 113 is fixed also extends through the machinehousing and the arm 100 (FIG. 16) is secured to it. At the upper left ofFIG. 16 the crank 79 is visible which carries the cam 77 to which thearm 42 of the pusher bar 41 is secured, the latter details being shownin FIG. 8.

Turning to FIG. 18, the cam 98 on the shaft of the 7 gear 73 is engagedby a follower 116 on a lever assembly which is diagrammatically shown inFIG. 19.

An arm 117 having a pivot shaft 118 is biased in a clockwise sense by amass 119. It therefore follows the contour of the cam 98 unless it islocked in a disengaged position by means of a catch 120 having a recess121 into which a projection 122 on the arm 117 fits. The catch 120 isbiased for clockwise displacement so as to engage the projection 122, aspring 123 being indicated for this purpose. The catch is clamped to apivot shaft 124, the end 125 of which is shaped as a feeler extendinginto the path of boxes (FIGS. 16).

When a box depresses the feeler portion 125, the catch 120 disengagesthe arm which then is free to move into the depression in the camperiphery. In doing so an actuating arm 126 clamped to the shaft 118actuates an air valve 127 which passes two bursts of compressed air intothe line 128 leading to a piston type servo-motor in each adhesiveapplicator 51, 52 for each revolution of the cam 98. A portion of themechanism of FIG. 19 is visible in FIG. near the upper right corner.

After the box passes beyond the feeler 125, the feeler swings upslightly and the catch 120 engages the arm 117 in a position in whichthe follower 116 contacts the cylindrical periphery, but not thedepression, of the cam so that the arm 126 does not actuate the airvalve during the period the arm 117 is locked by the catch 120.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for folding the hinge cover of a folding box into boxclosing position, the device comprising, in combination, means forming abox track; transport means for advancing a box along said track in adirection in which the box cover hinge line is transverse to the centerline of the track, with the hinge cover trailing; a pair of coverfolding blades; trackside means for each of said blades for supportingthe respective blade for oscillation back and forth about an oscillatingaxis angularly disposed with respect to the center line of the track,the axis of the supporting means of one blade being at an angle to theaxis of the supporting means of the other blade; and means foroscillating both blades in timed relationship to said transport means.

2. A device for folding the hinge cover of a folding box into boxclosing position, the device comprisin in combination, means forming abox track; transport means for advancing a box along said track in adirection in which the box cover hinge line is transverse to the centerline of the track, with the hinge cover trailing; a pair of coverfolding blades; trackside means for each of said blades for supportingthe respective blade for oscillation back and forth about an oscillatingaxis angularly disposed with respect to the center line of the track,the axis of the supporting means of one blade being at an angle to theaxis of the supporting means of the other blade and the extent of sweepof motion being such that in one end position the blades-are spacedapart wider than the width of the track and that in the other endposition the blades lie substantially parallel above the track andspaced apart less than the width of the track; and means for oscillatingboth blades in timed relationship to said transport means.

3. A device for folding the hinge cover of a folding box into boxclosing position, the device comprising, in combination, means forming abox track; a first transport bar for advancing a box along said track byengaging the rear box wall to which the cover is hinged along asubstantial width of the wall; a second bar for engaging the leading boxwall; a pair of cover folding blades; trackside means for each of saidblades for supporting the respective blade for oscillation back andforth about an oscillating axis angularly disposed with respect to thecenter line of the track, the axis of the supporting means of one bladebeing at an angle to the axis of the supporting means of the otherblade; means for jointly oscillating both blades for simultaneousmovement; means timed with respect to said oscillating means foradvancing said first bar to move a box along the box track; and meansoperative during at least a portion of the time said blades oscillate inthe direction of box advance for mov: ing said second bar such as tomaintain a horizontal distance equal to a box length from said firstbar.

4. A device for folding the hinge cover of a folding box into boxclosing position, the device comprising, in combination, means forming abox track; transport means for advancing a box along said track in adirection in which the box cover hinge line is transverse to the centerline of the track, with the hinge cover trailing; a cover folding blade;trackside means for supporting said blade for oscillating movement backand forth about an oscillating axis angularly disposed with respect tothe center line of the track; the oscillating axis being at an angle tothe center line of the track; and means for oscillating said blade intimed relationship to said transport means and at a velocitysufliciently high that the horizontal component of the blade velocity inthe direction of the track exceeds the velocity at which the box isadvanced along said track.

5. A device for folding the hinge cover of a folding box into boxclosing position, the device comprising, in-

combination, means forming a box track; transport means for advancing abox along said track in a direction in which the box cover hinge line istransverse to the center line of the track, with the hinge covertrailing; a folding arm; means alongside said track for pivotallysupporting said arm for movement into and out of the space above thetrack to engage the trailing cover and fold it over the box body; andoperating means for moving said arm in timed relationship to saidtransport means.

6. A device for folding the hinge cover of a folding box into boxclosing position, the device comprising, in combination, means forming abox track; transport means for advancing a box along said track in adirection in which the box cover hinge line is transverse to the centerline of the track, with the hinge cover trailing; a pair of foldingarms, one arm being disposed on one side of the track, the other armbeing disposed on the other side of the track and opposite said one arm;means alongside said track for pivotally supporting said arms formovement into and out of the space above the track to engage thetrailing cover and fold it over the box body; and op-' erating means formoving said arms in timed, relationship to said transport means.

7. A device for folding into box closing position the hinge cover of afolding box provided with a front flap on the cover, the devicecomprising, in combination, means forming a box track; transport meansfor advanc ing a box along said track in a direction in which the coverfront flap and the cover hinge line are transverse to .the center lineof the track with the hinge cover trailing;

:means and predominantly at a level below the height of the box, saidelement moving during a portion of said lower motion at a substantiallyuniform horizontal distance from the point of engagement of saidtransport means with said box, said last named distance beingsubstantially equal to the length of the box.

8. A device for folding into box closing position the hinge cover of afolding box provided with a front flap on the box cover, the devicecomprising, in combination,

means forming a box track; a pusher element for engaging the box at itsrear wall to which the box cover is articulated and advancing the boxalong said track; first drive means for imparting to said pusher elementa substantially orbital motion in a vertical plane; means operable intimed relationship with said first drive means for engaging and foldingsaid box cover forward over the box body; a transverse folding elementadapted to engage and downfold the cover front flap; second drive meansfor imparting to said folding element a substantially orbital motion ina vertical plane, the direction of the orbital motion of the first drivemeans being opposite to that of the second drive means.

9. A device for folding into box closing position the hinge cover of afolding box provided with a front flap on the box cover, the devicecomprising, in combination, means forming a box track; a pusher elementadapted to engage the box at its rear wall to which the box cover isarticulated and advance the box along said track; a first arm extendingfrom said pusher element downwardly to a level below said track; a firstdrive crank below said track; a first cam element pivotally mounted onsaid first crank, said first arm being fixedly secured to said first camelement; a follower crank comprising a follower portion engaging saidfirst cam element; means operable in timed relationship with said firstdrive crank for engaging and folding said box cover forward over the boxbody; a transverse folding element adapted to engage and downfold thecover front flap; a second arm extending from said transverse foldingelement downwardly to a level below said track; a second drive crank; asecond cam element pivotally mounted on said second drive crank, saidsecond arm being fixedly secured to said second cam element; a followerelement engaging said second cam element; and means interconnecting saidfirst drive crank, said follower crank and said second crank forrotation in timed relationship.

10. A device for closing and sealing the hinge cover of a folding box towhich cover side flaps and a cover front flap are articulated, thedevice comprising, in combination, means forming a box track; an infeedconveyor for advancing a box along a first portion of the track byfrictional engagement and in a direction in which the cover hinge lineis transverse to the center line of the track; a flag stop forperiodically blocking and releasing, respectively, boxes moving withinsaid first portion; a

transport bar downstream with respect to said flag stop for advancing abox along a second track portion downstream with respect to said firstportion by engaging the rear wall of the box; a second bar for engagingthe leading box wall; a folding element for engaging and folding forwardand downward into box closing position the hinge cover; means foroperating said transport bar, said second bar, and said folding elementin timed relationship with respect to said flag stop; an outfeedconveyor for grasping a box downstream of said first and second bar andadvancing said box along a third track portion; a pair of track sideadhesive applicators within said third track portion for applyingadhesive to the cover side flaps; and means downstream of saidapplicators for downfolding, and applying sealing pressure to, saidside'fiaps.

11. A device for closing and sealing the hinge cover of a folding box towhich cover side flaps and a cover front flap are articulated, thedevice comprising, in combination, means forming a box track; an infeedconveyor for advancing a box along a first portion of the track byfrictional engagement and in a direction in which the cover hinge lineis transverse to the center line of the track; a flag stop forperiodically blocking and releasing, respectively, boxes moving withsaid first portion; a transport bar downstream with respect to said flagstop for advancing a box along a second track portion downstream withrespect to said first portion by engaging the rear wall of the box; asecond bar for engaging the leading box wall; a pair of cover foldingblades; trackside means for each of said blades for supporting therespective blade for oscillation back and forth about an oscillatingaxis angularly disposed with respect to the center line of the track;means for operating said transport bar, said second bar and said bladesin timed relationship with respect to said flag stop; an outfeedconveyor for grasping a box downstream of said first and second bar andadvancing said box along a third track portion; a pair of tracksideadhesive applicators within said third track portion for applyingadhesive to the cover side flaps; and means downstream of saidapplicators for downfolding, and applying sealing pressure to, said sideflaps.

No references cited.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner.

5. A DEVICE FOR FOLDING THE HINGE COVER OF A FOLDING BOX INTO BOXCLOSING POSITION, THE DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, MEANS FORMING ABOX TRACK; TRANSPORT MEANS FOR ADVANCING A BOX ALONG SAID TRACK IN ADIRECTION IN WHICH THE BOX COVER HINGE LINE IS TRANSVERSE TO THE CENTERLINE OF THE TRACK, WITH THE HINGE COVER TRAILING; A FOLDING ARM; MEANSALONGSIDE SAID TRACK FOR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID ARM FOR MOVEMENT INTOAND OUT OF THE SPACE ABOVE THE TRACK TO ENGAGE THE TRAILING COVER ANDFOLD IT OVER THE BOX BODY; AND OPERATING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ARM INTIMED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID TRANSPORT MEANS.